Pagan Chaplain Appointed at Syracuse University
Email ABC News on Campus reporter Matt Markham blogs:
Syracuse University has tapped Mary Hudson (at left) to be the school’s first pagan chaplain.
That makes Hudson, 50, the second pagan chaplain appointed at a U.S. college. The only other known school to have a pagan chaplain is the University of Southern Maine. Internationally there are a few in Canada, Australia, and the UK.
But, what is a pagan? "It's not an easy word to define," said Rachel Ousley, a senior at Syracuse University and practicing pagan. "'Pagan' is basically an umbrella term meaning anyone who follows a polytheist religion, so you can have a whole load of religions or paths or faiths under that. Generally, pagans are polytheists that have more than one deity, or animal spirits, and they're also nature-based." The pagan religion includes many different branches, such as Wicca and druidism.
There are 11 pagans registered with Syracuse University as of 2009. “Now that we have the chaplaincy, we should get a little more support, and have our voices heard,” said Jessica Mays, president of SPIRAL, the Student Pagan Information Relations and Learning group
at Syracuse. Hudson said education is her primary goal. “This involves both education of non-pagans as well as helping student pagans find their spiritual path,” she added. “That can mean something different to each student.”
As chaplain, Hudson said she hopes to bring guest speakers to campus and catalogue resource information for students interested in understanding different aspects of paganism. But also, Hudson wants to “dispel the misinformation and fear that many people have about who and what pagans are.”
She says some claim paganism isn't a "real" religion, but rather a sect that engages in magic, idolatry, and witchcraft.
Hudson worked in information technology at SU for about 10 years, and has been with SPIRAL for the last eight of them. After leaving her job with IT, she said she realized she had the qualifications to become a chaplain. "It was just the next natural step," said Hudson. She discussed it with the interim dean of Hendricks Chapel, the Dean of Student Affairs, and board members at the Church of the Greenwood, of which Hudson is a member.
Mays said that education is Hudson’s strong suit. “She’s good at that, and mentoring — that’s a big thing, especially working with a group of college students. That’s a leap of faith.”
Promoting diversity is another goal pagans and their chaplain hope to accomplish. “Hendricks Chapel is dedicated to continually recognizing the diverse world that we live in. In this case it happens to be diversity within religious belief. I also hope that it gives people (non-pagans) the ability to ask questions about a set of beliefs which they may have a very little information about,” Hudson said. She said her door is always open to anyone who wants to stop by and just talk. “Conversation is the only way to create understanding,” she said.
Mays praises the university for making the appointment, saying that “any step that’s away from the mainstream is a step in diversity, and Mary’s another resource for students, another person to be able to talk to on campus.”
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This reveals an openmindedness at SU that is exactly what one would hope to see in a university community. Bravo, SU!
Posted by: SU alum | March 11, 2010, 2:41 pm 2:41 pm
Good for SU!
Posted by: George | March 11, 2010, 4:11 pm 4:11 pm
At last. Someone who really has an open mind to spirituality. The last thing college kids need is more dogma in their lives. Even Christians will feel at ease with her.
Posted by: Wayne | March 11, 2010, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me–Jesus.
Diversity isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. SU can employ whomever it so chooses. Just don’t buy into the lie.
Posted by: s | March 11, 2010, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
Sorry S, you don’t deserve freedom ONLY of YOUR religion. That is not the way it works anymore.
Personally, I think ALL forms of religion have problems.
People are niave to think that just because someone practices a pagan religion that they are automatically more open.
Posted by: Funny Bunny | March 11, 2010, 4:31 pm 4:31 pm
“s” – spoken like a true self-righteous Christian! What makes you think that many parts of the Bible are not also lies? Because YOU “just know” in your heart??? And because you’ve been programmed all your life to believe that Jesus is the only way? Propaganda is propaganda – whether it’s propaganda you like and perpetuate – or whether it’s another point of view. Grow up and get an education.
Posted by: jody | March 11, 2010, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
good for SU- pandoring to only 11 students in the University. What a waste of space. Liberal universities make me sick. The fact is they only hired her so they could be on the headlines of news stories around the country. It’s called PR and it was for admissions. The sad thing is she is probably crazy enough to think that it actually means something. 11 weirdo kids at a university who can’t find thier way in the world do not deserve this type of special treatment. But that’s what liberals love to do- cater to the minority.
If you dont believe it, you are blind. Furthermore, the more responsible way to fill the vacant spot is to hire someone who represents the greatest population of students.
this is clearly a disgusting PR stunt by the University and they should be ashamed bringing religion into the fight for more students.
Posted by: Robbie | March 11, 2010, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
I see. We should celebrate a chaplain of any religion other than Christian. The more deviant the better, after all that is the mark of a good education.
I am currently researching colleges for my DD. I’ll be sure not to even consider SU.
Posted by: Ca | March 11, 2010, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
Sorry S, you don’t deserve freedom ONLY of YOUR religion. That is not the way it works anymore. posted by Funny Bunny
————-
I just read the comment by ‘s’. I didn’t see a thing there that indicated she/he claimed freedom ONLY of his/her religion.
I find it interesting that you saw that in a post that stated the poster’s own belief and then went on to acknowledge that the university was free to hire whomever they wished.
Interesting indeed.
Posted by: malcat | March 11, 2010, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
You know the saying, “One culture’s god is another culture’s devil.”
It’s funny that this appointment of a Pagan should raise eyebrows since the Pagan religions mentioned in the Bible, and Judeo-Christianism itself, all come from the same crock pot of religious memes.
Posted by: Jenn | March 11, 2010, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
Just because SU only has 11 students who openly say they are Pagan does not mean that they are the ONLY students who are. Trying to track the numbers of Pagans anywhere is like trying to herd cats.
Not all of us look like weirdos, either. Nor are all of us liberals. Pagans like all other spiritual people come in all manner of shapes, sizes, colors and stripes.
On top of all of that, the Pagan Chaplain is probably as well versed in other beliefs systems as she is in her own. Speaking as a Pagan myself, you almost have to be if you expect to understand and explain what you believe to anyone else.
Kudos to SU and Hudson!
Posted by: Star | March 11, 2010, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
This is great! Best wishes to you, Mary!
I am Asatru. Most people just blink at me when I say that, having absolutely no clue to what I’m talking about.
And no, Asatruism does not involve goat sacrifices in the basement or dancing naked in a forest. It is a very philosophical religion that makes the mind think, much like Buddhism. We have virtues we adhere to that define our way of life.
It would be nice to be able to talk to people and have them understand, rather than draw to absurd conclusions.
Posted by: Aquia80 | March 11, 2010, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
God give us all multiple chances to seek Him and to find Him. Pagans, too. But it’s not a game. Eternal lives are at stake.
Posted by: Carol | March 11, 2010, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
Haters will hate. Those people criticizing SU for making space for other believers beside their own don’t deserve a loving God(dess) anyway. Those seeking ordination or a DD should know better to begin with.
Posted by: Christopher | March 11, 2010, 10:56 pm 10:56 pm
By the way — When in doubt, please capitalize “Pagan”. We capitalize “Christian”, “Jewish” (which are fairly broad brushes) so kindly accord us the same courtesy.
Posted by: Susan | March 12, 2010, 7:59 am 7:59 am
This should open the door to any group having 11 or more members to demand a chaplain. I hope every small group on their campus demands their rights !!!
Posted by: George | March 12, 2010, 9:03 am 9:03 am
Jody,
Chaplains are not HIRED by a college. They are appointed. The college does not provide a salary. None. They provide office space, maybe a phone.
About the “11 weirdo kids”, you know them personally to make such a declaration?
The story indicates that she has been the adviser to SPRIAL for 8 years. How many students have been served? The numbers mean nothing. Jesus had 12 to start, think about that.
Posted by: Crash | March 12, 2010, 9:25 am 9:25 am
I am a SU alumni (PhD ’1996) and am very happy that SU is a forerunner here. Best wishes, Mary, may your presence bring fulfillment to many students.
Posted by: Libertarian | March 12, 2010, 9:28 am 9:28 am
I’ve known many pagans, of various stripes. Since paganism is supposedly egalitarian and often anti-heirarchical, why do they need a Chaplain? Isn’t part of the point of paganism to be a free thinker and not to be told ‘what’ to believe or Who to worship? Just askin’… Actually, more than a few pagans I’ve known have a deep and abiding hatred for Christians and Christianity. They seem to be stuck in a rancor about how all the innocent sweet, gentle, life-affirming, sacred feminine-honoring pagans were persecuted and murdered back in the Middle Ages and Europe. Like it happened to THEM personally. They have found a holy victim status and really milk it.
Posted by: John | March 12, 2010, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
Hell will indeed be abundantly populated.
Posted by: Jason | March 12, 2010, 5:44 pm 5:44 pm
This is nothing new. Didn’t Obama have a bunch of witches (some type of pagan and/or wiccans) come to DC and do a “cleansing” or “purging” of the White House soon after his inaguration? If you google this you’ll find the story. I also recall, not sure if it is true, that Michelle Obama’s mom practiced voodoo/santaria. So maybe ‘Cuse is just trying to get on the good side of the Obamas. He likes basketball and, apparently, witchcraft so it is a win-win. Look for some nice taxpayer windfalls….
Posted by: Ed | March 13, 2010, 12:01 am 12:01 am
I applaud this and shame on you if you want to deprive these students of someone to help them in any way possible. I wish there was a college near me that had a Pagan chaplain.
All through high-school, my school had morning prayer. Christian prayer. No one asked me if I minded. Why are you making such a federal case of different beliefs? I have no personal qualms with Christianity, none. I was raised Baptist, I live in the bible belt. All of my friends and relatives are Christian. But you can’t generalize an entire religious group as wrong. You can’t make it sound like Christianity is better than anything else.
College is a confusing enough time without having to defend religion. So shut the hell up and let these kids have someone that will make it better.
Posted by: Oleander | March 17, 2010, 8:18 am 8:18 am
Whoever is well qualified for the job gets appointed Chaplain, what difference does it make in regard to that persons personal religion.
Good for SU though, there is nothing wrong with diversity.
Posted by: Brandon | March 20, 2010, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
1st off i think its great that su is opening its doors up 2 other religions besides Cristian ones. personal i think the uptight self righteous Christians need 2 get there nickers out of a twist.you know why some people don’t like y’all is because y’all are hypocrites your no better then the scribes & phrases who prosecuted the son of your god.doesn’t it not state in your bibles in the new testament judge not for the measure that you judge you shall be judge. y’all go to church on every Sunday & sit on your bench there n think that saves you from damnation got news for you it don’t for it also says in your lil bibles if you would every really pick it up n read it for your self’s if your righteousness does not so per seed that of the scribes & phrases you will by no means enter into the kingdom of heaven look it up in y’all concordance’s i wasn’t born a witch i choose 2 be one i probably know y’all’s book better then y’all do & i also have another question for ya how come Christians ant rude or post nasty vindictive comments about Buddhism we have very similar belief systems but with some differences of there region & yet you wont see any of those so called Christians downing there religious beliefs as they will some who practices paganism
Posted by: witchy women | March 21, 2010, 6:32 am 6:32 am
Go SU!
Posted by: Kate | March 24, 2010, 8:45 am 8:45 am
I just wanted to point out that your information is wrong. Cornell University has had a pagan chaplain in the past. I served as a pagan chaplain there for three years and there was a chaplain there before me. They do not have a pagan chaplain at the moment but they were one of the first to have one.
Posted by: Rauncie Ryan | October 14, 2010, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm